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Stem cell research restrictions, & their reversal

Obama's overturn of Bush's
research restrictions: 2009

During his presidential campaign, President Obama repeatedly indicated his
support for embryonic stem cell research. He said:

"I strongly support expanding research on stem cells. I believe that the
restrictions that President Bush has placed on funding of human embryonic stem
cell research have handcuffed our scientists and hindered our ability to compete
with other nations." 1

During the
presidential campaign in mid-2008. the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
conducted a public opinion poll of American adults on the ethics of embryonic
stem cell research. They found no consensus. The percentages who favored
research were:

68% of persons with no religious affiliation.

59% of white, non-Hispanic Catholics.

58% of white mainline Protestants.

40% of black Protestants.

31% of white evangelical Protestants. 7

Word leaked out on 2009-MAR-06 that President Obama would sign an executive
order on MAR-09 that would reverse President Bush's restrictions of 2001 .

The Associated Press commented:

"Once the change is in place, scientists will be able to start applying for
taxpayer-funded grants through the National Institutes of Health."

"The [National Institutes of Health] NIH already has begun writing
guidelines that, among other things, are expected to demand that the cells
being used were derived with proper informed consent from the woman or couple
who donated the original embryo."
1

The National Institutes of Health
have been granted $10 billion from the economic stimulus package. Part of it
is expected to fund embryonic stem cell research.

Bernadette Tansey of the San Francisco notes that the expected overturn of
the Bush policy:

"... may quickly lower the cost of research. Dr. Arnold Kriegstein,
director of the Institute for Regeneration Medicine at UCSF, is
watching a new building rise where his institute will expand its stem cell
studies."

"Under the Bush policy, researchers had to painstakingly separate their
NIH-funded projects from human embryonic stem cell work funded by other
sources. If Obama removes the NIH limits, work in the new UCSF building will
be much cheaper because scientists will no longer have to create duplicate
labs and buy extra sets of equipment. The same labs and tools will be
available for use on adult stem cells, the partially mature cells that
replenish organs, and the more versatile embryonic stem cells that are seen
as the standard for understanding the entire field of cell therapy."

" 'Labs all over the country could start using these cells side by side,'
Kriegstein said. 'A lot of resources were spent complying with the
restrictions as they exist'." 2

President Obama signs executive order::

On 2009-MAR-09, the president reversed and repudiated restrictions on
embryonic stem cells that had been placed by George W. Bush. Surrounded by
medical scientists, he said: "By doing this, we will ensure America's
continued global leadership in scientific discoveries and technological
breakthroughs."

He also said:

"We will lift the ban on federal funding for promising embryonic stem cell
research. ... We will also vigorously support scientists who pursue this
research. And we will aim for America to lead the world in the discoveries it
one day may yield. ..."

"When it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our
government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science
and moral values."

"As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and
work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and
will to pursue this research -- and the humanity and conscience to do so
responsibly."

"We will never undertake this research lightly. We will develop strict
guidelines, which we will rigorously enforce, because we cannot ever tolerate
misuse or abuse." 3

He also said:

"It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed
to serve a political agenda ? and that we make scientific decisions based on
facts, not ideology." 4

and that government policy is designed so that it :

"never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction.
[Such cloning] is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society
or any society." 4

Aides indicated that the National Institutes of Health would be asked
to come up with guidelines concerning stem cell research within 120 days.

Obama also signed a presidential memorandum directing the head of the
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a strategy
for "restoring scientific integrity to government decision making." 3

Reintroduction of stem cell bill in Congress:

Senators Tom Harkin, (D-IA) and Arlen
Specter, a (R-PA) reintroduced the bill that President Bush had vetoed in 2007. It
is S. 487: "A bill to amend the Public Health Service
Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research." It is a.k.a.
"Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2009." The bill
would allow federal funding for research using stem cells taken from human
embryos that are left over from fertility treatments. 5 The bill has been read twice in the senate and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Before cells can be eligible for use in research conducted or supported by
the government, the bill would require that:

"The stem cells were derived from human embryos that have been donated
from in vitro fertilization clinics, were created for the purposes of
fertility treatment, and were in excess of the clinical need of the
individuals seeking such treatment."

"Prior to the consideration of embryo donation and through consultation
with the individuals seeking fertility treatment, it was determined that the
embryos would never be implanted in a woman and would otherwise be discarded."

"The individuals seeking fertility treatment donated the embryos with
written informed consent and without receiving any financial or other
inducements to make the donation." 6